Application-specific settings for hosted applications using client-side and host-side tablet device drivers

Abstract

A host system includes a device driver with application-specific settings for a hosted application. Input data is generated by one or more tablet devices at a client computer system. A host-side data transfer application receives the input data and forwards it to the host-side driver, which sends the input data to the hosted application. The tablet data sent to the hosted application is configured according to application-specific settings of the host-side driver, which may support multiple application programming interfaces. A dedicated driver-to-driver connection may also be used to transmit data between client-side and host-side drivers. In another aspect, a host sends an identifier of a hosted application currently in use to a client-side driver, which uses that identifier to look up and apply application-specific settings to tablet data sent to the hosted application. This can eliminate the need for a host-side driver while still allowing application-specific settings for hosted applications.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions configured to cause a host computer system to perform steps comprising:
 receiving, by a host-side tablet device driver from a client-side tablet device driver, tablet data generated by a tablet device at a client computer system; 
 adjusting the tablet data according to application-specific settings of the host-side tablet device driver; and 
 sending the tablet data from the host-side tablet device driver to at least one hosted application at the host computer system, wherein the at least one hosted application is configured to be accessed by a user of the client computer system and to receive the tablet data adjusted according to application-specific settings of the host-side tablet device driver. 
 
     
     
       2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the tablet data is received by the host-side tablet device driver from the client-side tablet device driver via a dedicated driver-to-driver connection. 
     
     
       3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the tablet data is received by the host-side tablet device driver via a client-side data transfer application. 
     
     
       4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 3 , wherein the client-side data transfer application comprises a web browser application. 
     
     
       5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the tablet device comprises a pen-input tablet device. 
     
     
       6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the host computer system hosts a plurality of hosted applications configured to be accessed by the user of the client computer system. 
     
     
       7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 6 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further configured to cause the host computer system to send the tablet data from the host-side tablet device driver to multiple available application programming interfaces for selection by a respective hosted application. 
     
     
       8. A host computer system that provides hosted application services for a client computer system that includes a tablet device, the host computer system comprising one or more processors, a network interface, and non-transitory computer-readable media comprising computer-readable instructions configured to cause the host computer system to perform steps comprising:
 receiving, by a host-side tablet device driver from a client-side tablet device driver, tablet data generated by a tablet device at a client computer system; 
 adjusting the tablet data according to application-specific settings of the host-side tablet device driver; and 
 sending the tablet data from the host-side tablet device driver to at least one hosted application at the host computer system, wherein the at least one hosted application is configured to be accessed by a user of the client computer system and to receive the tablet data adjusted according to application-specific settings of the host-side tablet device driver. 
 
     
     
       9. The host computer system of  claim 8 , wherein the tablet data is received by the host-side tablet device driver from the client-side tablet device driver via a dedicated driver-to-driver connection. 
     
     
       10. The host computer system of  claim 8 , wherein the tablet data is received by the host-side tablet device driver via a client-side data transfer application. 
     
     
       11. The host computer system of  claim 10 , wherein the client-side data transfer application comprises a web browser application. 
     
     
       12. The host computer system of  claim 8 , wherein the tablet device comprises a pen-input tablet device. 
     
     
       13. The host computer system of  claim 8 , wherein the host computer system hosts a plurality of hosted applications configured to be accessed by the user of the client computer system. 
     
     
       14. The host computer system of  claim 13 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further configured to cause the host computer system to send the tablet data from the host-side tablet device driver to multiple available application programming interfaces for selection by a respective hosted application. 
     
     
       15. A method performed by a computer system including one or more processors, a network interface, and non-transitory computer-readable media, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a host-side tablet device driver from a client-side tablet device driver, tablet data generated by a tablet device; 
 adjusting the tablet data according to application-specific settings of the host-side tablet device driver; and 
 sending the tablet data from the host-side tablet device driver to at least one hosted application, wherein the at least one hosted application is configured to be accessed by a user and to receive the tablet data adjusted according to application-specific settings of the host-side tablet device driver. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  further comprising receiving, by the host-side tablet device driver, the tablet data from the client-side tablet device driver via a dedicated driver-to-driver connection. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15  further comprising receiving, by the host-side tablet device driver, the tablet data via a client-side data transfer application. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the client-side data transfer application comprises a web browser application. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the computer system hosts a plurality of hosted applications configured to be accessed by the user. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19  further comprising sending the tablet data from the host-side tablet device driver to multiple available application programming interfaces for selection by a respective hosted application.